Thursday, December 14, 2006

Everyone loves dolphins

I don't keep up with the Guiness Book of World Records, but most of you probably already know that Bao Xishun of Mongolia is the tallest man alive today (about 7'9"). I wonder how much he was paid to stick his long arm down the throats of suicidal dolphins to remove plastic shards they somehow had swallowed from their tank.

Given that the aquarium officials said the dolphins had "lost their appetite and were suffering from depression," I wonder if they were upset that humans could be so annoying as to lock them in water-cages where they'd get bored enough to eat shards of plastic.

I've seen my "domesticated" animals swallow any number of unhealthy things, from lead-based paint, to plants that cause peculiar blockages of the intestine (eew). Nothing compares so far to my friend's late blue healer, though, which had a disease that compelled it to eat lampshades, leashes and loads of prescription medication.

Is there a difference in watching humans ingest alcohol, cigarettes, sugar and other drugs? Poor, domesticated humans.